Sunday of the Holy Forefathers. Holy Priest-Martyr Eleutherius. Our Venerable Father Paul of Latra (956). Our Holy Father Stephen the Confessor, Archbishop of Surozh (8th century).
Colossians 3:4-11. Luke 14:16-24.
Read Colossians 3:4-11
Sometimes motivation is difficult. Worthwhile things take effort. What we sometimes feel now – tiredness, distraction, loss of interest – can be more present to us than the fulfillment of a future goal. We can be tempted to settle for how things are now instead of pushing through a motivational downturn – “good enough” can become the enemy of growth or even life itself.
External motivation comes through reward and punishment. Internal motivation comes from fulfillment and unfulfillment of our own unique desires and personal needs. Overemphasis on reward and punishment can hinder internalizing and making the motivation for something our own, but they are important in connecting us to the objective world outside of ourselves.
“When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” That’s motivating!
Externally, this means we are no longer to be motivated by the “earthly” categories of who is better than whom – ethnically, experientially, socially, economically. Our external reality of relating to each other is now defined by the spiritual reality that “Christ is all, and in all” – we are relating to him!
Internally, living out this reality creates movement within us. Moving in our relationships with others toward Christ and his glorious appearing, we move away from things within us that God has made clear have no place in that future. We give ourselves to the ongoing process of “being renewed in knowledge after the image of (our) creator.”
Avoiding the wrath of God and appearing with Christ in glory are strong external motivators. They can help us begin our journey and remind us of the value of continuing it. But the journey is one of relationship – with Christ, ourselves, and others. Living a renewed life in “Christ who is our life” is its own motivation and fulfillment.